Austrian beauty influencer, Stefanie Pieper, missing after Christmas party found dead in forest after ex-boyfriend’s chilling confession

An Austrian beauty influencer who vanished after a Christmas party was found dead in a suitcase in a remote Slovenian forest.

Stefanie Pieper, 31, was located on Friday in a wilderness area, nearly a week after she disappeared on November 23. Her family and colleagues raised the alarm when she failed to show up for a scheduled photo shoot and could not be reached, according to Styrian State Police.

According to Poprant website, Stefanie Pieper, 31, was an Austrian beauty influencer and makeup artist from Graz’s Geidorf district, known for blending creativity, lifestyle and music in her online content. She cultivated a modest but loyal Instagram following by sharing makeup looks, product tips and moments with her Golden Retriever, Marlow. Pieper built a relatable personal brand within Austria’s beauty community, working as a makeup artist while serving as a brand ambassador for cosmetics label IQ Beauty Of Course.


Authorities say Pieper’s ex-boyfriend, also 31, allegedly confessed to strangling her and directed investigators to the site where he left her body, Austrian newspaper Kronen Zeitung reported. He is believed to have been seen at her residence the night she disappeared, after neighbors reported hearing an argument. Pieper had also sent troubling WhatsApp messages to friends, first assuring them she had arrived home safely, then expressing fear that someone had followed her into her building’s stairwell, People Magazine reported.

The suspect was taken into custody by the Slovenian State Police after his car burst into flames outside a casino near the Austrian border. Investigators say he had traveled to Slovenia repeatedly before the arrest. On Friday, he was extradited to Austria, where he had already guided authorities to the forest where Pieper’s body was concealed.

Styrian police confirmed that the suspect’s father and brother have also been detained as part of the ongoing investigation.